The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Vehicle control describes methodologies wherein operation of a vehicle or of a system within a vehicle is monitored and computerized control is applied to modify the operation of the vehicle. Exemplary vehicle control strategies monitor vehicle dynamics or the current or expected forces and moments acting upon the vehicle and apply control methods based upon the forces and moments to maintain desired operation of the vehicle. For example, when a vehicle is stopping quickly, forces and moments can cause the body of the vehicle to rotate forward, compressing the front suspension. Vehicle control can counter such monitored or anticipated rotation of the body of the vehicle by energizing actuators located at the front corners of the vehicle to lift up on the vehicle body and stop the front suspension from compressing. In another example, in a braking maneuver, forces and moments acting upon the vehicle and braking forces being applied to the wheels can be used to monitor or predict slippage between a wheel and the road. Actuators at the brakes of the vehicle can be used to redistribute braking force among the wheels to avoid slippage. In another example, in a turning maneuver, forces and moments acting upon the vehicle and a steering angle can be used to monitor or predict an over-steer or an under-steer condition, and an actuator acting upon the steering system can correct the steering. In another example, forces acting upon the vehicle and a current torque being applied to the drivetrain and the wheels can be used to monitor or predict slippage between the wheels and the road, and an actuator can be used to modify the torque being transmitted to the wheels through various methods known in the art.
A number of systems can be monitored or affected through vehicle control. Examples include braking, steering, driveline, and suspension control. According to an exemplary method, driver commands and/or autonomous driving system commands are integrated to determine desired vehicle dynamic or kinematic states, a vehicle dynamics module inputs the desired vehicle dynamic or kinematic states and outputs a desired vehicle force and/or moment, and an actuator supervisory control module generates commands in one or more vehicle systems to effect the desired vehicle force and or moment. Integration of the commands can additionally include feedback regarding current or resultant vehicle dynamic or kinematic states, and the actuator supervisory control module can include feedback of current or resultant actuator states.